


Flowers For Sweethearts

by B_Uthoughtwrong



Category: Daredevil (TV), Marvel, Punisher (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, As in a lot, F/M, Flashbacks, pre-punisher, really cheesy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-21
Updated: 2016-08-21
Packaged: 2018-08-09 18:29:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7812541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/B_Uthoughtwrong/pseuds/B_Uthoughtwrong
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"My problem is you're always an inconsiderate asshole!"<br/>"The fuck- I just bought you flowers!"<br/>"EXACTLY! I'm ALLERGIC!"<br/>"Aller--- shit."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Flowers For Sweethearts

**Author's Note:**

> So, I picture that this would be how Frank would have been before he clicks and become The Punisher... so, it's quite an alternate universe

_"_ _I don't want you to be a soldier. I don't want you to go to war." I said as a tear rolled down my cheek. He was wearing the cream colored sweater I knitted for his 18th birthday this year._

_"Hey, hey. Don't cry. That isn't fair." he said pulling me into a hug. "S'making me all sobby and stupid."_

_"Why are you crying, huh? You think I can't handle myself out there? Is that it?" he said with a soft chuckle, as he rested his chin on my head, making me sob even more. "You think I can't rumble with the big guns... literally?"_  
_"Well, yes and... It's just... I never got to tell you before you left." I said breaking away from the embrace I did not want to leave._

_"Before I left? Doll, I'm still here, arent I? So go on... tell me what, huh?"_

_I hesitated for a moment but thought of how much I'd regret it after if I didn't so anything. But instead of saying anything like he expected, I kissed his lips quickly but passionately and hugged him once more. "I--I love you... and I won't be here when you come back."_

_"_ _What?" he asked pulling away, he tilted his head and cupped my face in his big, warm hands._

_"I'm going to college in San Francisco. They offered me a culinary scholarship, and I accepted." I said hugging him once more. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I didn't tell you this before..." this was when I realized that he really was going to leave and we would never be together. "But I'll-I'll write about it, always. I'll tell you everything as if nothing drastic ever happened."_

_"And you'll write back right?"_

_He broke away from our embrace and looked at me, dumbfounded, then just simply nodded. He then snapped his head back to the bus as the conductor had his last call warning. He and I said our final goodbyes and I couldn't stop crying at this point. He walked away and got to the door of the bus. Before stepping in, he looked back at me and smiled, mouthing the words **I LOVE YOU TOO** as he did._

_This didn't help ease me at all, instead, just broke my heart even more._

* * *

 

It's been _9_ years since that day. _Nine,_ and yet the memory I have of it feels like I only experienced it yesterday.

Nowadays, I manage my own bake shop in Hell's Kitchen that went by the name of _'Cassandra's Cakes'._  I named it after my late grandmother who had been the one who got me into baking in the first place.

I had gotten a list of things needed to buy, for myself, not the bakery, before I opened the shop today.

I went to the super market and one by one, crossed out the things on my list that I got, all except the whiskey as they didn't have any right now.

  1. ~~salt~~
  2. ~~alcohol (both rubbing~~ and **_whiskey_** )
  3. ~~shampoo~~
  4. ~~soap~~
  5. ~~tissue~~
  6. ~~tomato~~
  7. ~~garlic~~
  8. ~~chicken~~
  9. ~~tofu~~
  10. ~~cheese~~



Before heading to work, I brought my groceries home and put them away. Once I left the house, I walked to my bakery, passing by a swing set where a boy and a girl where swinging next to each other. I smiled at the bitter-sweet sight, bitter-sweet for me I guess, then remembered a sweet moment that changed my life.

* * *

 

_It was recess at my preschool and I never ran so fast in my life (at least at that time). I really, really, really wanted to get to swing this time. Mean old Ruth would always beat me to it. As I finally got to the swing, and my feet hit the sandy grounds it was placed on, I smiled as I saw no one was there yet._

_But that soon changed._

_"Hello." a tall boy said as I swung on the only swing on the school's playground._  
_"Hello."  I replied to him simply_.  
_"I want to swing after you." he said as he pursed his lips and pushed his hands in his pocket._

 _I then simply nodded and kept on swinging. "My name's Frank Castle by the way."_  
_"Why is your last name Castle? Do you live in one?" I asked, letting my feet kiss the sand so I'd cease swinging. He shrugged and told me that he didn't know why his last name was Castle. As soon as the swing stopped, I then stood up and told him my name in return._

_"It's alright that your name is unique." I said walking towards him, not wanting him to think I wouldn't be his friend because of his name._

_"What does **unique** mean?" he asked, tilting his head to his left, or my right. I then said that it means kind of the same thing as special,  only better._

_"Well you have a unique name too." he said smiling. I then told him it was his turn now, and as he swing, we talked about school and_ _instantly became best friends._

* * *

 

Snapping out of my thoughts, I finally got to my shop and opened up. See, my bakery served special pastries for breakfast, lunch, and dinner which is why there are regular customers that come here more than once a day. This has given me a sense of pride and confidence in what I do.

As the time flew by, faces both familiar and not came here and there, I couldn't help but think about all the things I've done in order to get this place on the map. I had to trade and sacrifice a lot of things I valued, it was really hard and risky at first but seeing this, what I have accomplished, makes me smile and mentally pat myself on the back. I did good, and I deserved good due to all my hard work.

True, it was my grandmother who taught me the beauty of baking, it was another story as to who really persuaded me into actually having my own bakery. If he never told me I was good in what I did, I wouldn't ever had pushed through with it. Instead, I would've pursed, goodness knows what.

* * *

 

_It was my 10th birthday and Frank and his family came over to my house to celebrate it._

_"Happy birthday, old folk." Frank said as he handed me a box that was wrapped poorly, indicating that he had wrapped it himself._  
_"Frank! You're a year older than me!" I said with a chuckle in protest to his statement, getting the box from him nonetheless._

_I shook the box as his eyes widened and protested that I should not do that. "It's... not meant to be shook."_

_I smiled and asked if I should open it now. "Well, you're the birthday girl; you decide what you wanna do."_

_I decided not to open it until the cake was finished and everyone, expect Frank of course, had left. His parents always allowed us to stay at each other's houses because a) we had been best of friends since we were in preschool and our family had become close because of that, and b) our houses were like 4 blocks away from each other._

_"Happy Birthday to you!" the guests and my mother sang as she pulled out the cake we made together._  
_"Wow, you baked that? It looks like it came from a bakery! You should be a baker when you're older!" he said, gratefully taking the slice of cake my mom handed him, as I explained how long it took form me to get the icing just right. I then looked at him, thoughtfully, and ended up agreeing with what he said a while ago._

_"You know what, you're right. I should be a baker."_

_"Frank Castle is always right!" he said, victoriously._

_At this point, I opened every gift except Frank's, it tortured him just as I wanted, and found that everyone had either bought me socks, notebooks I probably would never use, or really cheap perfume. "I swear Frank, if your gift ends up being a pair of socks I will never EVER talk to you again." I said sighing as I opened another box with socks inside. Box and sock, huh? It's so frustrating, it rhymed._

_He chuckled, "I promise it's not a pair of socks. Scout's honor." doing the scout's sign as he did so._

_As I unwrapped the box as slowly as possible, just to annoy him, but suddenly ripped it the wrap unmercifully off and saw the label on the outside of the it. I can't say I was disappointed because I wasn't really expecting him to get me anything "An alarm clock. It's thoughtf-"_  
_"It's not an alarm clock, it's just the box you loser." he cut it, rushing me to open it and see what it really held inside._

_"Once I did, I saw a small teddy bear that was holding a heart, or rather had a heart sewn on it's paws. The heart read, 'I Love You Bear-ry Much.' I  laughed as I read it aloud. "Aww, I love you too Franky Wanky." I said with a laugh._

_"I'm sorry! I -I... I uh, thought there was nothing written on the heart and... uh, only realized after I bought it." he said, cheeks turning a shade red._

_"It's alright Frank, but uh, that does mean you... do... love me right." I asked, a bit bashfully._

_"I-I--Uh-mm. I-uh-I..."_

_"I do." I said quickly. "I mean, we are **friends** right and we should love each other because... I mean, we have been friends for... for-forever!"_

_"Yeah, yeah... friends."_

* * *

"Hey, could I get chocolate cookies and black coffee." a voice of a man called out, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I quickly looked at him and nodded, getting cookies and asking him if he wanted them to be warmed up or kept in room temperature. "Oh, I love warm cookies." he said, walking off to a table.

I nodded simply, placing them in a microwave and then poured him a fresh cup of black coffee.

"So, _Cassandra's Cakes_ , huh?"

I walked towards him, carefully bringing the hot cup to the man. I set the cup down, "Named after my grandmother. Will that be all?" I asked, looking at the smirking man in confusion. He was gripping a bouquet of pretty yellow flowers, "I should've seen the sentiment but I didn't know your grandmother's name was Cassandra."

I knit my brows and clenched my jaws, what was he supposed to mean by that?

"Aw, come on _doll._ I thought your memory was sharper than mine." he said, nodding his head in disapproval.

_Doll?_

Who the fuck does this guy think he is?

I rolled my eyes at the disrespectful customer, who I would make sure to never serve again. I walked away to get his cookies from the microwave. Pulling it out with an oven-mitt, I gave him the cookies, merely inconsiderately placing it on the table, creating a thud on the wood.

He laughed, "Geez, I knew you were bad tempered but take it easy on your plates."

In pure confusion and curiosity, I turned back to the man. I looked at him then crossed my arms. "Oh come on, I can't believe you forgot about your ol' boy Castle." he said tilting his head to the side.

 _Castle?_ "Frank? Is that... really you?" I asked, leaving my mouth agape out of shock.

"Who else would want warm cookies you baked?" he asked, standing up, "I mean, besides your ever so loving customers." he added, walking towards me and spreading his arms wide open. I then rushed to him and gave him a big hug.

* * *

_"FRANK CASTLE!"_

_"WHAT?!"_

_"STOP EATING MY COOKIES!" I shouted from the kitchen as I put down the empty plate in the sink._

_"I CAN'T HEAR YOU! I'M TOO BUSY EATING ALL YOUR COOKIES!" he shouted back from the living room. He was playing with my baby brother, building castles. I marched up to him and crossed my arms. He was munching on the last cookie he had, as my brother had crumbs all over his mouth, with little chocolate bits which obviously meant Frank shared some with him, making him a guilty accomplice.  
_ _"_ _Castle, you're sixteen years old and yet you cannot fulfill your cookie needs with your **own** cookies. Don't your parents give you, what, 6 dollars a day? Why can't you just get your own?" _

 _"_ _Caswl! Caswl!" my brother said, **castle,** as Frank put another block on top of the other. "Are you even listening?" I asked as I kicked the castle he was building, making my brother laugh. Toddlers are weird with the amusing everything they see. "MAN- THAT WAS RUDE!" he said, raising his hands up in defeat as my brother continued laughing. Frank then demolished the entire setup of the blocks over his frustration. Maybe it actually the amusing face Frank was displaying that made my brother laugh, but the world will never truly know. _

_"That's what you get for eating my cookies."_

_"You know your cookies are the best because you bake them with love." he said with a grin on his face. I rolled my eyes and simply nodded in disapproval. "I know, but that doesn't justify your actions." I said, walking away with crossed arms._

_I heard my brother laugh before I left, saying, "Caswl! Again! Again!"_

* * *

He laughed at my eagerness but still held me in his arms until I pulled away. Once I did, he then retreated to get the bouquet of sun flowers.

"Here, I got you flowers." he said handing it to me. 

Wait, wait, wait. If he got me flowers... then that would mean he knew he would see me. That means... he knows that this is _my_ bakery. "Flowers? You got me flowers?" I asked crossing my arms as my smile faded away. "Yeah, well... I saw you at the supermarket and at first I thought you were a ghost or something, but then I saw you get that favorite bottle of shampoo you always had me buy when I was already at the market." he said, fiddling with the ends of the wrapper.

"So, basically, you followed me like a _creep?"_ I asked, shaking my head in disappointment.

He then chuckled, not in an amused way, and nodded his head in annoyance and disapproval. "Honestly?! We haven't seen each other in like, 10 years, and that's what you say? Seriously woman, what is **_wrong_** with you?"

 

"My problem is that you're always an inconsiderate asshole!" I said, rolling my eyes and walked away.

"The fuck- I just bought you flowers!" he shouted back at me

"EXACTLY! I'm ALLERGIC!"

"Aller--- shit."

 

"See! Now even you agree that you're an asshole!" I said getting the bouquet of flowers and throwing it under the counter. "Now, go back to where ever you came from!" I said pushing him, but barely even making him budge. "And do NOT come back."

I honestly don't understand why I was doing this, but I could guess seeing him today triggered something in my mind, the anger, the heartbreak, the regret.

"Woah, woah, woah! Now you're kicking me out-I- we haven't seen each other in like, A DECADE, an yet you're kicking me-"  
"Frank, you're a drama queen! It's been nine years! You get over it you know! PLUS," I said, stopping myself from 'pushing' him any farther... not that he moved even an inch. "You tried to kill me."

Before he could protest, at that not-too-exaggerated statement, I pushed him once more, only this time, I actually got him out. Once I did, I locked the door and flipped the open sign to show the CLOSED one. I then put a hand on the left side of my face, turned back, and started to close down the shop.

Now I know what you're thinking; _'Frank isn't the asshole, you are for kicking him out! We both know you want to catch up with him but is too stupid and stubborn to admit it so yourself! So... he forgot you're allergic to flowers and could've potentially killed you, but hey, at least he made an effort, right?'_

I know, I know... you're right, conscience. I just- I couldn't help it. I mean you can't suddenly show up in my bakery and just... happen to have sunflowers, my favorite kind of flowers, and then go back to the army like nothing happened as that would clearly be what would happen.

OKAY!

FINE!

You caught me!

I did just say my favorite flowers were sun flowers.

Why would I have a favorite flower, you ask? Well... that's because, you know, I'm, uh, sorta-kinda-not really... allergic to flowers......

FINE! DAMN! I'M THE ASSHOLE!

 

I JUST-I-- ugh... I don't want my heart to be broken again, alright?

 

I walked all the way from the bakery to my house and was currently around three or four streets away from it. Obviously not wanting to be a total and complete jerk, I got the bouquet of sunflowers and  planned to put it in a vase at my house.

Now, as per usual, the city, any city, had lots of creeps and nut jobs lurking every corner, so as long as you're somehow immune to criminal activities, there is no such thing as extra careful as you walk around here. I stopped at the end of the curb and waited for the car to pass so I could cross the street. Once the black car was out of my way, I continued to travel to my house.

Just as I continued, someone pulled my forearm which made me internally panic.

"Shh... take it easy doll. It's only me." Frank said before I could do anything I would regret sooner.

I groaned, rolled my eyes, and shook my arm out of his grip, then proceeding to slap his shoulder... his very toned shoulders, shoulder I wouldn't mind-SNAP OUT OF IT! He didn't pay attention to any of that though, my intent examination of his shoulders, as he was looking behind him as if he was looking for someone.

"Frank! What the hell? You're going to give someone a heart attack if you continue to creep up on them just like this." I said with a stern and annoyed tone. DON'T give me that, I was pissed because he snuck up on me, great arms or not!  
"No, no, no. What you should be saying is, _'Thank you Frank for potentially saving my life as there was a crazy-ass following me since about three blocks ago.'_ " he said, turning to me, flashing a forced smile, turning back, and finally facing me again.

I crossed my arms, still holding the flowers. "And would that _'crazy ass'_ be you?" I raised a brow as I said so.

 

"Honestly? I don't remember you being this intolerable before. Did some prick fuck you up or something?" he asked, only then realizing I was holding the bouquet which made be realize that I was holding the bouquet. The same bouquet that had flowers I was supposed to be allergic to.

He then suddenly looked at his feet, chuckled, nodded his head in disapproval, and raised a brow my way. "I fucking knew that you weren't allergic to sunflowers. You just wanted to mess with me, didn't you?" he asked, stepping closer.

"Well, guess what _princess,_ no one messes with Frank Castle." he said with a suggestive smirk.

I then chuckled and proceeded to walk away. "No one but me _doll_." I replied, continuing to head back home.

"Hey, wait a minute." he shouted back and caught up to me. "Why? Why are you so... hard on me?" he asked stopping me and looking at me with a serious look on his face.

"I just wanted to mess with you, don't take it to heart."

 

"Bullshit." he said softly, but with a lot of feeling. I caught me off guard, to see him honestly... broken.

"I--I was afraid of losing you again... I knew that you would go back to the army and leave me all helplessly heart broken again. I knew that-" but his lips against mine stopped me from continuing any further. His hands automatically moved to cup either sides of my face and mine to his waist. The kiss was soft and not forced, it felt like our lips were meant for each other, as they fit perfectly against themselves. I ended up dropping the bouquet I was holding but that didn't matter right now.

After we stopped, though in reality, it would've been a while, I felt like it was cut short and should've lasted longer.

"I'm here now... and I... don't plan... on leaving you... ever... ever... again." he said pecking my lips every time he ceased speaking.

I then pulled his face close to mine again and kissed him. "Pinkie promise, Franky Wanky?" I asked raising my pinkie, chuckling as I called him that damn-awful nickname. He laughed and smiled sweetly, as he kissed me once more. "Yes, I pinkie promise doll." He said wrapping his pinkie with mine.

I then picked up the bouquet of flowers and held his hand. We then started to walk off to my house and at this point, our hands were laced together and my head was resting on his shoulder. 

 

Just as soon as we got to my street, realization hit me.

"FRANK!" I shouted, pulling away from our sweet hand-holding. "WHAT! WHAT?" he asked, instinctively looking around for any threats.

"YOU WERE FOLLOWING ME AROUND! You creep!" I said shoving him, and chuckling at that. He then nodded his head in disapproval, as he had been doing all day, so it seems, and laughed at me.  
"Well, I won't deny or confirm my actions, but... in my defense... I never really stopped keeping my eye on you." he said, draping his arm around my shoulders and walking off.

I looked at him in confusion and knit my brows. "What the heck is that supposed to mean?" I asked, placing my arm around his back. "Creep." I teasingly whispered. He chuckled at that.  
"Well, I've always kept track of you. I have always asked your parents about you... made sure they wouldn't tell you how, well, in your words, _creepy_ I am." he said with a low chuckle.

I laughed aloud and covered my mouth, remembering that it was late and people were asleep.

"No way, and here I thought... I thought you forgot." I said, moving closer to him so I could breath him and his scent in.

We then got to my house and Frank knew exactly where to go. "Me, forget about you? Impossible." he said going up the steps to my house. "I mean, I even know where you live!" he said, adding that he asked my parents about that. I rolled my eyes and pulled out my keys. Then, I opened the door and we both entered my not-too-clean home.

 

"Sorry, I didn't really expect company." I said placing the flowers, my keys, and my bag on the table. He chuckled and said that he didn't mind because he wasn't any better.

"So... are you going to kick me out for being too much of a creep?" he asked, pushing his hands in his pockets, giving a truly expectant look. I then crossed my arms and raised a brow. I then smirked, "Well, my boyfriend wouldn't like me hanging out with creeps so..." I stepped closer to him, just in time to see his face drop and proceed to frown.

"Boyfriend... I-I- didn't-" he started but then rolled his eyes as he heard me laugh. He then jumped and pulled me close to him, causing me to squeal and continue in the laughter Frank had joined into.

"Naught, naughty girl. I'll teach you what happens to people who mess with me." he said breathing into my neck. I then giggled and taunted, "Are you really? Show me."

Just as I said those words, he growled and threw me over his shoulder.

 

"Get ready... I've been waiting for this moment for nine years, doll." he said as he brought me to my bedroom.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, lovely human. MWAH xxx  
> P.S. I DID HAVE NOT FULLY GRAMMAR PROOF THIS!  
> THANKS!  
> BYE FOR REAL THIS TIME!  
> XXX


End file.
